Thread tensioning mechanism



March 30, 1943. E. w. HOWE ETAL 2,315,332

THREAD TEN SIONING MECHANISM F iled June '7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VENTORS ATTORNEY March 30, 1943. s. W.-HOWE ETAL.

THREAD TENSIONING MECHANISM Filed June 7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTORS 5/5/5177 #4 How: mwrr 5. IV/A/fELM A TTORNEY Patented Mar. 36, 1943 THREAD TENSIONING MECHANISM Everett W. Howe, Edgewood, and Kurt E. Wilhelm, Providence, R. I., assigncrs to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 7, 1941, Serial No. 397,020

17 Claims.

This invention relates to thread tensioning mechanismdesigned more particularlyfor use upon golf ball winding machines to tension a rubber strand as it is Wound upon the ball core.

Golf balls as usually constructed consist of a core about which a rubber tape or thread is Wound under considerable tension to form the ball body that is later provided with a protecting cover.

The better grade golf balls are Wound under high tension, and after they are wound are sub,- jected to an exacting compression test and are graded upon the basis of such test.

This compression test has been relied upon heretofore to determine whether or not a ball has been wound under the proper thread tension, but the trouble with such a test from the manufacturing standpoint is that it shows the compression properties of the Wound ball and not the actual tension under which the thread should be wound to give the ball the desired properties.

Various devices have been provided heretofore to tension the rubber strand as it is wound upon the ball core, but the method employed heretofore for adjusting such tensioning devices has been to remove the ball from the winding machine to test its compression properties, and then adjust the thread tensioning device the amount the operator thinks will serve to impart the desired hardness to the ball.

Even if the operator by using the empirical method just described succeeds in getting the right thread tension, this particular adjustment of the thread tension device may not produce the proper tension upon the thread for any substantial length of time, as changes in the adjustment of the thread tension device may be required at frequent intervals to keep the tension constant, due to changes in the initial tension of the thread, changes in the speed of Winding as the size of the ball increases, and changes in the friction of the braking means or other thread retarding means.

So far as applicants are aware no means has been available heretofore for accurately measuring the actual tension on the rubber thread as it is being wound on the ball core.

The primary feature of the present invention resides in thread tensioning mechanism adapted for use upon golf ball winding machines and other types of winding machines, and constructed to measure accurately the actual tensionof the thread at the instant it reaches the winding position. Through the employment of a tensioning' and measuring device such as herein contemplated the desired winding tension upon the thread can be secured throughout the ball winding operation.

A more specific feature of the. present invention resides inv a thread tensioning device supported for limited movement relative to the ball winding position in response to variations in the tension of the thread being'wound onthe ball, and in means controlled by the movement of such device for accurately measuring, Weighing or indicating in absolute units (not empirical) the tension uponthe thread at the ball.

A furtherv feature of the present invention resides in the arrangement whereby the force re,- quired to unwind the thread from its supply spool and to advance it tov the tensioning device of the present invention, does not affect the movement of such device so that it may move solely in response to variations in the'tension of the thread at the ball.

Through the employment of the present inven-, tion whereby thetension of the thread is or may be accurately measured. as it goes onto the ball, during the entire winding operation, balls may be produced that are wound with a highly uniform tension to thereby produce balls of very uniform compression properties. This makes possible the consistent winding of hard come pression balls and it is believed that through the present invention the tension of the thread upon golf ballsmay be controlled more accurately than was possible. heretofore.

The above and other features of the invention and novel arrangement of :parts will be hereafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating one good practical form thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of one well known type of golf ball winding machine having the present device associated therewith.

Fig. 2 1s an end view of Fig. 1,'looking towards the right, the upper part ofthe machine being broken away to give a fullview of the ball; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of means forcontrolling the unwinding of the thread from its supply spool.-

The present invention maybe employed to control accurately the tension of a thread, strand or filament that is being wound upon a core, spool or other form of take-up means; but is particularly well adapted for use in controlling the tension of rubber orelastic strands, which are more sensitive to tension variations than the ordinary textile thread or strand, and as above stated the invention has been developed more particularly for use upon golf ball winding machines. The rubber strand wound upon the golf ball core to form the ball body may have the form of a wide tape, or of a tape or thread the width of which does not greatly exceed its thickness, such strands are herein referred to as threads.

The particular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings is well adapted for use on various types of golf ball winding machines and is illustrated as applied to a golf ball winding machine of the general type disclosed in the Cobb Patent No. 1,270,099. The winding machine shown comprises the metal frame orcasing I having the housings H and |2 which are spaced apart to provide therebetween an opening in which the ball supporting and rotating heads I3 and I4 operate. These heads are supported and rotated by axially aligned shafts 15, that are mounted for limited longitudinal movements so that the heads may hold 'therebetween different size balls. The heads I3 and I4 rotate at the same speed and turn the ball upon the longitudinal axis of the shafts |5 to wind the thread in a plane extending through the center of the ball at right angles to this axis. The ball is actually supported by the disks l6 which are periodically rotated upon the heads l3 and I4 to turn the ball relative to said heads, as more fully set forth in the above mentioned patent.

In the construction shown the rubber thread T is supplied to the golf ball core or body B under the desired tension from a position in front of the winding machine as will be apparent from Fig. 2. This thread is led upwardly from a supply spool |1 to a thread tensioning wheel or drum 18 to pass partly or entirely around this wheel and then horizontally to the ball B as shown. The thread may extend around the tension wheel I8 for only about one-fourth of a revolution, or it may extend entirely around this wheel for slightly more than a complete revolution as desired. The wheel is preferably provided with a slightly tapered thread engaging surface as shown, so that if the thread passes around the wheel for more than one complete revolution the adjacent coils will be separated sufficiently to prevent one from contacting the other.

The wheel i3 is rigidly secured to a shaft l9 which is rotatably mounted in a boss 20 formed at the upper end of the lever 2|. The opposite end of this shaft l9 has rigidly secured thereto a brake drum 22 having cooperating therewith the brake band 23, one end of which band is secured to a pin 24 upon the lever 2| and the other end of this band is provided with a spring. The lower end of this spring is fastened to an adjustable bolt 25 which projects through a hole in a flange 26 that is supported by a bracket 21 secured to the lever 2|. This bolt is provided with a wing nut 28 which may be rotated by the fingers to vary the braking action of the band 23, upon the brake drum 22.

It will be apparent from the mechanism so far described that the rotation of the heads l3 and Is to rotate the ball serves to pull the thread T upwardly from the source of supply H to the tension wheel l8 and to turn this wheel against the opposition of the friction mechanism 22, 23 to thereby tension the thread as it passes from the upper portion of the wheel l8 to the ball B. It will also be seen that the tension upon the thread T may be increased or decreased as desired during the winding operation by simply turning the wing nut 28.

The difiiculty heretofore, however, has been that the operator had to guess as to the amount of tension to place on the thread, as no means was known prior to the present invention for accurately measuring the actual tension of the thread at the instant it was being wound upon the ball. The means of the present invention whereby this tension may be measured continuously with a high degree of accuracy throughout the ball winding operation will now be described.

The lever 2| serves to support the tension wheel l8 for limited movement toward and from the ball winding position, and in the construction shown this lever is fulcrumed at a point vertically below the wheel i8 as will be apparent from Figs. 1 and 2 wherein it will be seen that the lever 2| is provided at its lower end with the boss 29 which i rigidly secured to the horizontally extending shaft 30. This shaft is rotatably supp t n t a i s 3| bolted to the table or support 32 upon which the casing I0 is mounted. The weight of the upwardly extending lever 2| and wheel I8 is preferably counterbalanced by a weight 33 which is adjustably mounted on the threaded rod 34 extending downwardly from the boss 29. I

The rocking shaft 30 has rigidly secured thereto to extend rearwardly therefrom the horizontal arm 35 which projects through an opening in the lower portion of the casing ID. The arrangement is such that the upwardly extending lever 2|, shaft 30 and arm 35 form a bell-crank construction.

To the rear of the casing I0 is secured the upwardly extending bracket 33 that forms a gallows from which is suspended a spring scale 31 that serves accurately to weigh, preferably in pounds and ounces, the actual tension of the thread T as it is wound on the ball B. The scale 31 is suspended from the gallows 36 by the threaded bolt 38 having the adjustable wing nut 39. The vertical sliding bar 40 of the spring scale 31 is connected to the outer end of the arm 35 by the connecting rod 4|.

The arrangement is preferably such that the distance from the point where the rod 4| is secured to the arm 35 to the fulcrum 30 is equal to the distance from this fulcrum to the top of the tension wheel IB, so that the horizontal lever arm and vertical lever arm of the bell-crank have a one to one ratio.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the tension of the horizontal strand of the thread T tends to pull the wheel l8 towards the ball B and that this pull is yieldingly resisted by the spring scale 31. If the ratio of the lever arms 2| and 35 is one to one as above mentioned then the reading of the scale 31 will show in pounds and ounces the tension at any instance upon the thread I being wound on the ball.

In order to prevent the bell crank lever from oscillating unduly a dash pot 42 is preferably provided containing relatively heavy oil, and in this dash pot is provided the loosely sliding piston 43 secured to the stem 44 the upper end of which is bolted to the bracket 45 that is rigidly secured to the outer end of the arm 35.

It is important to so position the thread supply spool l1. that any pull exerted on the thread T to unwind it from this spool will not affect the swinging movement of the lever 2|. This is accomplished by mounting the spool on the lever 2|, and the spool is preferably positioned adjacent the lever trunnion as shown so that the change in the weight of the spool as its size decreaseswill not disturb the balance of the lever,

El, 34, In the construction shown the spool I! is mounted in alignment with the rocking shaft 30. The spool H; has supporting trunnions and is supported by the bracket 46 bolted to the bell cranklever and provided with the space uprights 41 each having a notch at its upper end to receive a spool trunnion and rotatably support the. spool.

In order to prevent the spool H from overrunning and to facilitate the pulling of the thread loose from the spool, the free running roll 48 is;-provided which is rotatably supported by an upright is extending upwardly from the bracket 46. The arrangement is such that the thread T as it is unwound from the spool l'l passes around the roll 48 and back around the mass of rubber on'the spool and then again around this roll and upwardly towards the drum l8 as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be seen from the foregoing that by mounting the supply spool IT as shown any tension which is exerted upon the portion of the thread T extending from this spool upwardly to the tension wheel l8 will act as an increased load opposing the rotation of the wheel 13, but will not influence the swinging movement of the lever 2 i. The only force in the present construction, other than the weight of the arm 35, that urges the wheel '18 towards the ball B is the tension of the horizontal strand of the thread T extending from this wheel to the ball, and the only force that opposes this movement is the upward pull of the bar at of the scale 37 on the arm 35. Therefore the scale 37 serves to weigh or measure accurately the tension of the thread being delivered at the ball, and the amount of this tension is shown on the scale by the position of the pointer 56. a

In adjusting the thread tensioning and measuring device of the present invention preparatory to Winding thread upon the ball at a predetermined tension, the position of the scale 3! is adjusted by the wing nut 39 so that the lever 2! is in an approximately vertical position. The winding machine is then started up and the wing nut 28 is adjusted from time to time by the machine operator to thereby keep the scale pointer 50 at the desired reading.

The present construction makes possible for the first time, so far as applicants are aware, to control with exactness the tension of the thread being wound on the ball, and thereby turn out balls all of which will have with a high degree of exactness the desired compression properties.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A golf ball winding mechanism comprising core-rotating means, thread tensioning mechanism supported in spaced relation to said means, a support therefor mounted for limited movement relative to the ball winding position and adapted to support said mechanism for movement in response to variations in the tension of the thread being wound on the core, a thread supply package mounted on said support so that it remains a fixed distance from said mechanism as the latter moves bodily, and spring means for balancing the pull of the thread on said support whereby the actual tension of the thread as it is wound on the ball may be weighed.

2. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotatingmeans, thread tensioning mechanism supported in spaced relation to said means and including a drum-like member adapted to be engaged by the thread and rotated against brake resistance by the advancing pull exerted on the thread as itis Wound on the core, a support for said member movable relative to the core-rotating means in response to variations in the thread tension at the ball, a thread supply package supported a fixed distance from said member as the latter moves so that the force required to advance the thread to said tensioning mechanism from said package does not appreciably affect the movement of said support, and means for balancing the pu l of the thread on said mechanism whereby the actual tension of the thread as it iswound on the ball may be weighed.

3. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotating means, thread tensioning mechanism spaced from the ball winding position and including a drum-like member adapted to be engaged by the thread and rotated against brake resistance by the advancing pull exerted on the thread as it is wound on the core, a support for said member movable relative to the ball winding position in response to variations in the thread tension at the ball, a thread supply package mounted on said support, means for balancing the pull of the thread on said support whereby the tension of the thread as it is wound on the ball may be accurately weighed, and adjustable means on said support for varying said brake resistance.

4. A golf ball winding machine. comprising core-rotating means, thread tensioning mechanism supported in spaced relation to said means, a support for said mechanism mounted for limited movement relative to the ball winding position in response to variations in the tension of the thread being wound, a thread supply package positioned so that it remains a fixed distance from said mechanism as the latter moves, whereby the force required to advance the thread to said tensioning mechanism does not affect the movement of said support, and spring means op posing the pull of the thread on said support whereby the support is urged in one direction solely by the pull of the thread leaving the same and in the opposite direction solely by said spring.

5. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotating means, threadtensioning mechanism supported in spaced relation to said means, a support for said mechanism mounted for limited movement relative to the ball winding position in response to variations in the tension of the thread being wound, a thread supply package positioned so that it remains a fixed distance from said mechanism as the latter moves, whereby the force required to advance the thread to said tensioning mechanism does not affect the movement of said support, spring means opposing the pull of the thread on said support whereby the support is urged in one direction solely by the pull of the thread leaving the same and in the opposite direction solely by said spring, and adjustable means on the support for varying the tension exerted on the thread.

6. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotating means, thread tensioning mechanism supported in spaced relation to said means, a support for said mechanism mounted for limited movement relative to the ball winding posi-- said mechanism as :the latter.moves,..whereby the force required to advance the thread to said tensioning mechanism does not affect the movement of said support, and spring means opposing the pull of the thread on said support and adapted to measure accurately in units of weight the tension of the thread as it is wound on the 'ball.

'7. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotating means, thread tensioning mechanism supported in spaced relation to said means, a support for said mechanism mounted for lim ited movement relative to the ball winding posi tion in response to variations in the tension of the thread being wound, a thread supply package positioned so that it remains a fixed distance from said mechanism as the latter moves, whereby the force required to advance the thread to said tensioning mechanism does not affect the movement of said support, and spring means opposing the pull of the thread on said support by a force directly proportional to the actual thread tension at the ball.

8. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotating means, thread tensioning mechanism supported in spaced relation to said means,

a support for said mechanism mounted for limited movement relative to the ball winding position in response to variations in the tension of the thread being wound, a source of thread supply positioned so that the force required to ad vance the thread to said mechanism does not airect said movement of the latter, means yieldingly opposing the pull of the thread on said support, and indicating means connected to said support and so actuated by the support movement that its reading excludes all forces except the actual tension of the thread at the ball.

9. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotating means, thread tensioning mechanism including a drum-like member adapted to be engaged by the thread and rotated against brake resistance by the advancing pull exerted on the thread as it is wound on the core, a pivoted lever having a laterally extending arm and upwardly extending arm the latter of which supports said member for limited movement towards and from the ball winding position in response to variations in the thread tension at the ball, spring means acting upon the laterally extending arm to oppose the pull of said thread, and a thread supply spool mounted approximately on the axis about which the lever swings.

10. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotating means, thread tensioning mechanism including a drum-like member adapted to be rotated against brake resistance by the pull exerted on the thread as it is wound on the core, a pivoted lever having an upwardly extending arm on which said member is mounted for movement towards and from the winding ball position in response to variations in the thread tension at the ball, a brake acting directly upon said member to oppose said rotation, a counterbalancing weight for said lever, and spring means for opposing the pull of the thread on said mechanism whereby the actual tension of the thread at the ball may be determined.

11. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotating means, thread tensioning mechanism including a drum-like member adapted to be rotated against brake resistance by the pull exerted on the thread as it is wound on the core, a pivoted lever for supporting said member for movement towards and from the ball Winding position in response to variations in the thread tension at the ball, a brake acting directly upon said member to oppose its rotation, a dash-pot for dampening the oscillations of the lever, and spring means for opposing this pull of the thread on said lever whereby the actual tension of the thread being wound on the ball may be determined.

12. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotating means, thread tensioning mechanism including a drum-like member adapted to be engaged by the thread and rotated against brake resistance by the pull exerted on the thread as it is Wound on the core, a pivoted lever having an upwardly extending arm for supporting said member for movement towards and from the ball winding position in response to variations in the thread tension at the ball, an arm extending laterally from said lever, a dash-pot for dampening the oscillations of the lever, and spring means connected to the laterally extending arm to oppose the pull of the thread on said lever whereby the actual tension of the thread being wound on the ball may be determined.

13. A thread winding machine comprising means for rotating a thread support to wind thread thereupon, thread tensioning mechanism supported for limited movement relative to the winding position in response to variations in the tension of the thread being wound, a sourc of thread supply positioned to remain a fixed distance from said mechanism as the latter moves so that the force required to advance the thread to said tensioning mechanism will not affect the movement of the latter, and spring means for balancing the pull of the thread on said mechanism whereby the actual tension of the thread being wound may be determined.

14. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotating means, thread tensioning mechanism supported in spaced relation to said means for movement bodily under the pull of the thread being wound on the core, a source of thread supply from which the thread extends to said mechanism and positioned so that it remains a fixed distance from said mechanism as the latter moves bodily, said mechanism being arranged so that it is moved in one direction solely by the tension of that portion of the thread extending from it to the core, and spring means for balancing the pull of the thread on said mechanism whereby the tension of the thread as it is wound on the core can be determined in absolute units.

15. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotating means, thread tensioning mechanism supported in spaced relation to said means for movement bodily under the pull of the thread being wound on the core, a source of thread supply from which the thread extends to said mechanism and positioned so that it remains a fixed distance from said mechanism as the latter moves bodily whereby the movement of said mechanism is not appreciably influenced by the tension of the thread passing thereto, and spring means for balancing the pull of the thread on said mechanism whereby the tension of the thread as it is wound on the ball may be accurately weighed.

16. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotating means, a drum-like thread tensioning member adapted to be engaged by the thread and rotated against brake resistance by the advancing pull exerted on the thread as it is wound on the core, means for supporting said member for movement bodily relative to the core-rotating means as the tension at which the thread is wound on the core varies, a source of thread supply which remains a fixed distance from said member as the latter moves, means for yieldingly opposing the movement of said member and for indicating the thread tension, and a brake acting on said member to tension the thread.

17. A golf ball winding machine comprising core-rotating means, a thread tensioning drum for tensioning the thread as it is wound on the core and provided with a brake, a support for supporting the drum and brake for movement by the thread in response to variations in the tension at which it is wound on the core, and means for yieldingly opposing the movement of said support and for indicating the winding tension.

EVERETT W. HOWE. KURT E. WILHELM. 

